Strife
by Jazzi287
Summary: It is not even a year after Sephiroth was defeated at the crater, and he's back. But this time Cloud has to face someone he never expected, his own sister! Jazzi Strife joins our villain in the chance to find love, but will she find it? Language & violence.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

The sun rose over the northern continent, making the white snow upon the ground nearly blinding to look at. Though the temperature stayed the same, the morning cold had a sharp bite to it, which would make anyone think twice about venturing out in the snow wasteland... well almost anyone. A young woman could be seen trudging through the snow, heading north further into the continent's heart...the crater. She was far away from the crater with maybe three miles still to go, but she trudged on through the deep snow. The summer's warmth had not reached this place nor would it. Her breath plumed out between her pale lips like smoke. Though the determined look set in her pale emerald eyes showed none of her discomfort; her shaking limbs and winter burned cheeks told it all. Her leather full length coat groaned as she crossed her arms tightly to her. The snow nearly went above her thigh high boots that were covered in straps, clasps, and garters holding them up so that the gap between the black outfit hidden beneath the coat and her boots was a mere three inches. The small bit of pale skin on her thighs and face were all to be seen in the mass of black clothing and her long crimson hair whipping behind her in the wind. Nothing but the same empty landscape stretched before her eyes. To avoid thinking of the freezing snow; her mind began to wander.

She stood at the top of mount Nibel, watching to the north, as a bright light exploded from what she could sense was the crater. Her eyes reflected the bright light, as her eyes became glossy, tearing up...knowing what that meant. It meant Cloud had won...beaten down Sephiroth, and though everyone else in the world that saw that magnificent spectacle was joyous, she could not find even a smile inside of her. Her head turned quickly when Meteor rushed through the atmosphere and stopped, hovering over Midgar. She stood there in "aw" at the terrifying display. It twirled around in a massive circle over the largest city on the planet, causing tornadoes and strong winds to rip the whole city apart. Not too long after the gigantic bringer of Sephiroth's furry showed up, the ground around her in several different spots started to glow a vibrant mako green.

"What the hell?" She slowly backed up against the rock wall, watching streams of mako come out of the ground, and it did not take her long to know what it was, "life stream..."

It went up, spiraling around itself as it continued its way up into the air. The confused woman looked around from her top view of the landscape all around her, and her eyes widen, seeing this phenomenon happening all over the planet. Green lights shined up the night sky everywhere she looked then suddenly all at once they headed in the direction of the Meteor. Her teachings from Red's grandpa had helped her now to understand what was happening. "The planet is trying to save itself..." as she stood there, one of the life stream waves went right through her. She could look down and see the green glow coming out of her mid-section of her body, and it left a warm feeling that felt like she had just laid into a hot steaming bath that spread throughout her entire self. Her eyes closed slowly and as she did; she saw Aeris's face smiling at her, and she knew that the life stream flowing through her was Aeris's. Her smile was almost mischievous in the way she looked right at her, but then she was gone. Her eyes opened quickly to see the life stream had passed through her now, but the warm sensation stayed. While she was in a daze about what just happened the sky grew brighter full of green.

She moved her red hair out of her face then her eyes widened to see the wonderful sight, all the life streams were spiraling around the Meteor, then suddenly a flash of light so bright she was forced to close her eyes.

Her eyes focused back on the reality of the snow wasteland she was trudging through. Now her body was filled once again with that calming warmth, and with it her determination grew. Her pace quickened as much as it could without risking tripping over the powdery snow. An unknown amount of time passed till something urged her to look into the painful horizon. In the distance she could see the crater's broken and uneven rim.

As the time passed and the rim grew nearer and nearer; she was consumed with mixed feelings of anticipation, dread, affection, stubbornness, and anger. There hadn't been a moment that passed on her journey that she didn't second guess this decision. The doubt in her mind was swept away as her black boot stepped on the rocky rim of the crater that was barely coated in snow. The collapsed crater looked nothing like the stories brought back by the eight heroes. Snow, rock, and dirt had nearly wiped the crater from the landscape. Only the rocky rim that stood ten feet or so from the debris below told her that this was indeed what she had been seeking. At once her heart sank with the realization that this expedition might be for nothing. She gave an annoyed sigh before leaping down into the filled chasm. Her cloak like coat billowed around her in her decent, exposing a weapon with a crescent blade on her right hip. She landed with grace on one knee. She stayed in this position as she scanned the area closely before rising. Snow covered much of the area, but she could sense mako energy near. Her eyes glowed ever brighter with the sensation. She knew that within the crater's bottom there had been a pool of mako, but this was nearer.

Wind howled over the rim as she walked silently along. The more she walked; the surer she was that she was getting closer. A few drawn out minutes had gone by till suddenly a loud crack sounded out into the air; the sound of glass breaking. She rose the foot she'd just put down to see bits of green mixed in with the snow. With haste she crouched down and began wiping the snow away. The near paper thin sheet of hardened mako expanded till she could see the Masamune's blade within. Her pace only quickened as she continued to clear off and dig the snow away. A mournful smile graced her face as her eyes looked down into Sephiroth's face through the hardened mako. This woman sat there as time slowly went by staring down at him. Her voice finally cut into the emptiness of the snowy wasteland.

"Damn you, Sephiroth." Her gloved hand ran over the mako, almost caressing it. As her eyes started to shine with unshed tears; her face hardened with painful determination. In the same instance she removed her gloves and threw them to the side. "Maybe now I will be worthy in your eyes." Her pupils started to spark with electricity as her auburn locks started to float with a static charge. She was up on her feet as she glared down upon this man. Without another moment's hesitation lightning exploded forth from her hand and hit the mako surrounding him. A burned mark etched into the center of the casing as electricity jumped about within over Sephiroth.

As she started to reach down to feel, a violent explosion of green shards and energy blew her back. It had caught her off guard as she flew back ten feet. With the wind knocked out of her; she laid there in the snow grunting and gasping. Through her closed eyelids she could sense a darkness falling over her. All she managed to do before being ripped off the ground was open her eyes. Mako colored eyes stared at her from inches away. Her hands were instinctively up, grabbing his as she tried to pull herself up from his grip on her coat. Sephiroth's eyes glared upon her with pure hatred for a blink in time till he suddenly dropped her like he had been burnt. He looked down at her with an unreadable expression as she finally took a breath and stood up.

"Jazzi…" Sephiroth looked upon the woman he knew from a different life it seemed. How could this creature emitting power before him be the same simple woman he had encountered so long ago? His mind was flooded with images and memories of Jazzi Strife, the older sister of Cloud. Nibelheim… the mission to Mount Nibel. The few nights he stayed in the small town before going up the mountain had been spent with her. She had been a… talented woman. Though he had had many women in his bed before; he remembered her in vivid detail.

As he looked upon her now he noticed her fire colored hair was longer, her ever present smile was wiped away, and her eyes… Her eyes were paler. The color of mako now than the jungle green they had once been. Were the power came from was now obvious, but how she obtained it was not.

Jazzi had recited what she'd say to this man for many years, but now she stood staring up at him lost for words. The two stared upon each other for a minute that stretched eternity. Her heart was hammering in her chest till she couldn't take the silence any longer. "Well at least you remember me."

"I remember an ordinary woman with no power not the creature before me." Sephiroth turned to watch Jazzi as she looked upon the casing he had been encased in… or what was left of it. "What did you do?"

Jazzi smirked bitterly as she glanced back up at him. "Time changes us all, Sephiroth. I am not about to tell you just how much."

He glared at her. She had been a quick witted woman before, and he had even enjoyed it at the time. Now he was less than amused. "Why are you here?"

She ran her hand through her hair as she sighed. "I would assume that answer is very obvious. You're welcome by the way." Jazzi took a step closer to him. "I see you have changed very little if at all."

Sephiroth had her by the neck and off the ground in an instant. "Woman! A god does not thank an ant! He chooses not to crush it!"

Jazzi's eyes sparked with her energy as she glared at him defiantly. "I am no longer an ant!" With a quickness rivaling Sephiroth's; Jazzi brought a leg up, delivering a round house kick to his head. She carried the momentum and brought her body in the spin up and over his arm. His grip failed as he staggered back for a moment. Jazzi charged him, throwing him back onto the ground and sliding as she rode on top of him. She punched him on the same side of his face, sparks flying as her fist made contact. The blinding flash of metal in the sun hit her left side peripheral vision. Jazzi ground rolled to the right without hesitation, but her coat was slashed on her upper arm with crimson blood starting to drip down.

Sephiroth was standing once more, looking at Jazzi like he hadn't  
seen her before. "What did you do to yourself?" He touched the side  
of his mouth that she had hit, coming away with a small amount of  
blood. Not only did she now have power… it seemed she knew how to use  
it.  
Jazzi gave a bitter laugh as she stood up. "What, don't you like  
it? Have I not earned your respect now? Was it not you who told me  
and showed me how weak and pathetic I was? Or do you not remember?"  
Her eyes wavered with unshed tears that Jazzi refused to shed. Weak  
people cried.  
Sephiroth did remember the last words spoken between them. He had  
buried himself in book after book in the ShinRa mansion's library.  
Jazzi had come in to see him after a couple days. She had tried to  
console him and even pleasure him, but he would have none of it. In  
fact he pushed her away from him in a violent rage. A simple push  
from him was powerful enough to throw Jazzi into the bookcase lined  
wall on the other side of the room. After a moment she managed to  
pick herself up though a bit wobbly. She held a hand to her ribs as  
she tried to breathe.

He looked upon the woman with disgust. "Look at yourself. You're  
pathetic and weak. All you know to do is to latch onto a stronger  
person. I could destroy you with little more than a thought. Your  
whole race is pathetic and a waste of life! Get out of my sight!"

Jazzi's eyes widened with terror as he flung his arm across the desk,  
sending several books flying at her. She ran out of the library  
crying. As Sephiroth looked into Jazzi's determined face now with the  
artic winds blowing her hair about; he could see very little  
resemblance to the sad shell of a woman from Nibelheim. "How did you  
do it?"

Her eyes had cleared without shedding a tear; the picture of  
self-control. She looked upon him for a silent moment before shaking  
her head. "I'm not telling you." Jazzi turned to walk away from him.  
She was down in the snow before she could react with Sephiroth on top  
of her pinning her down. With a rage filled scream Jazzi leaned in to  
head-butt him, but Sephiroth stiff-armed just below the throat in  
between her collar bones. Jazzi glared up at him with a look of  
malice cursing herself for being a fool. He had her arms pinned to  
the sides of her body beneath his powerful legs. A devilish smirk  
started to bloom on her face as her eyes vividly sparked. Suddenly  
her body was glowing as lightning shot into Sephiroth from wherever  
his body touched hers. Currents of electricity could be seen jump and  
dance between here and there. Sephiroth gritted his teeth as he  
grabbed her shoulders in a painful grip. Jazzi saw his hands were  
immersed in fire as the flames got bigger and licked the air near her  
face. The fire began to spread over him and her where they touched  
while blue streaks of electricity continued to dance. She let out a  
scream, feeling the heat start to sear. Sephiroth was gritting his  
teeth to the point he might crack them. Between his teeth he spoke,  
"We'll kill each other at this rate."

Jazzi was making mewling sounds in her attempts to not scream  
further. Knowing he was right and that he'd outlast her made her  
snarl at him. "I injected myself with Jenova's blood!" In an  
instant the fire ceased and Sephiroth was sitting in the snow a few  
feet away from her. Jazzi let her head fall back into the snow as she  
concentrated on the blessed coolness of the melted snow beneath her.  
Both were still in silence as their wounds began to knit themselves  
back to their former perfection.

Sephiroth smirked at Jazzi as she lied there. "Ah, yes… now the pieces fall into place. Was that truly your intention, or did you run there looking for me?" He stood up as smoke stopped rolling off him in plumes.

"Oh you're so damn smart. Aren't you?" Jazzi opened her eyes to the feeling of cold steel against her throat. A large smile spread onto her face as she looked up into her former lover's face. "You aren't going to kill me.

His eyes flicked to the weapon on her hip before glaring into her grinning face. "Why didn't you draw your weapon on me?"

Her smile wilted to a small smirk. "Because I won't kill you either." Jazzi watched emotions play across Sephiroth's face with the Masamune still to her throat.

A realization slowly crept into Sephiroth's mind that she was right. He either couldn't or wouldn't kill her. His eyes glared down at her with contempt that he couldn't prove her wrong. He applied pressure to her neck till blood began to trickle down. With an audible sound of annoyance he withdrew the Masamune from her throat. He tried to ignore her look of satisfaction.

Jazzi sat up with one hand touching her neck. She looked down at the blood on her fingers with a smirk of satisfaction. As she stood up, Sephiroth started walking off. "Hey where are you going?"

"Away. Don't follow me." He could sense her drawing closer to him without hearing or seeing it. "The next time I see you… I will kill you, Jazzi Strife. You broke my prison's bars, and I chose not to kill you. We're even."

"You know where to find me, Sephiroth!" Jazzi watched him fly into the air to the south. "I'll be waiting!" The sky was beginning to turn shades of pink as the sun neared the horizon. Her hair was wet and she could feel the temperature had dropped some already. "Shit…" She began walking south, leapt over the ten foot rim of the crater, and trudged her way back home. For a moment she thought about using her superb speed, but like before she figured the snow would trip her up. When you could move fast enough to run on water; a trip could be deadly.

Sephiroth watched Jazzi once he was in the air till she became nothing but a black spec in a sea of white. A moment of hesitation passed before he flew off into the darkening horizon.

In the dark of night, Jazzi made it to the small harbor town on the southern edge of the northern continent. The snow reflected the moon's rays to make the night as bright as if there was a full moon. It took only moments upon entering the village to notice the snow was stained and splattered with blood. Corpses of all the dead people lied in the streets. At first she stopped to take in the terrifying scene. Jazzi knew that she had killed these people just assuredly as if she'd cut them down herself. Blood soaked slush splatted her boots as she silently walked through the grisly sight. No fires blazed, no screaming could be heard, and the stench of panic and fear was absent. Jazzi herself was eerily calm walking amongst the gore. She knew it should have bothered her, but it didn't. No… quite the opposite. It excited and thrilled her. The Jenova DNA inside her not only affected her physically, but mentally. Jazzi stopped at the edge of the docks with a sadistic smile. Without a look back or a second thought; she leapt into the air. She barely touched the water's surface before speeding across the ocean's waters. Jet streams arched behind to either side of her as she moved with the speed Jenova's cells had bestowed upon her.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Nibelheim was silent in the faint dawn light with the ominous shadow of the mountains still covering much of the town. Jazzi slowly walked through the circle in the middle of town. Her eyes stared at the home of her childhood. Within it she knew there was Cloud, her younger brother. A little over six months ago he returned home, and he promptly kicked her from the house. After Sephiroth had destroyed the town; Jazzi had stayed and helped rebuild while Cloud ran away. For this the town didn't see her as Sephiroth's whore anymore, but Cloud still did. Jazzi cared not; let him have the house. She had spent the last several years pretending she was still weak… still ordinary. None knew what she really was except for Sephiroth.

She walked through the partially opened front gates to the ShinRa Mansion. In the six months Jazzi had called this place home; she'd fixed it up quite a bit. The yard was tended to with blood red rose bushes in front. The ivy climbing the walls were trimmed back so that it looked managed not over grown. The grand front double doors had been refinished and polished. Jazzi opened the door and walked in, locking the door behind her. All the wood in the entry way looked shiny and new; even the elegant stairwell. The once faded carpet running up the curved stairs had been removed, but she had yet to replace it. A new oval rug the color a dense forest took up most of the floor. The ornate windows on the second floor were cleaned so the faint dawn light shone through the colored glass to cast upon the white walls. The chandelier above was cleaned and looked nice, but Jazzi hadn't got it working yet.

As she walked up the steps, Jazzi ran a hand through her sea salt encrusted hair. A shower sounded like the best thing in the world. Her eyes glanced to her left at the greenhouse. A glass door was in place now to keep the humidity in there. Exotic and beautiful plants from around the globe were within. She wished a flower grew in the northern crater to add to her collection, but alas there was none. Jazzi turned to her right and up a couple more small stairs. A door was on her immediate right that she entered. A large bathroom with a shower made of volcanic glass took up the back wall. The floor was also made of the ebony rock. The white sink and toilet seemed out of place, but both functional which was all Jazzi cared about. She turned the water on in the shower and began removing her clothes.

Outside the mansion the town was starting to come to life with the sun having cleared the horizon. Shops opened their doors to let in the summer breeze as mothers began cooking breakfast for their families. In the Strife home, Cloud was getting dressed as the news played on the television. He began to tune it out as they went over the weather and monster sightings. The construction of Midgar was taking place, and in the last six months they had made a lot of progress on most of the city. Sector 7 plans were abandoned completely. It was basically the same things they'd been saying for weeks now. No mention of rebuilding ShinRa's Headquarters had been talked about yet either. The thought gave Cloud some comfort. Since defeating Sephiroth the blonde hero had done little. Most of his time was spent riding about on his motorcycle. Tifa stayed in Nibelheim, returning to her childhood home. She was miserable, and it showed to everyone but Cloud. The home seemed empty without her father and Cloud wouldn't let her near as he mourned for Aeris. Jazzi made no attempts to cheer up Tifa. The two had never gotten along. The rest of the group had all gone back to their homes. Barret was with Marlene in Kalm, Red was in Cosmo Canyon, Yuffie in Wutai, Cid in Rocket Town, and Vincent had just vanished.

Cloud walked over to the television to turn it off, but the reporter caught his attention as his hand hovered over the power button. "This just in… a small fishing town on the northern continent was found mysteriously slaughtered. We have live footage of the scene. It's very graphic..." The reporter looked nervous maybe sickened. Then the screen was filled with red it seemed. Blood was everywhere as bodies laid about the town. Women… elderly… even one child was shown on screen. Whoever was taking the footage could be heard crying. Cloud was staring at the screen in dismay. At first he thought a wild beast had ravaged the town, but a particularly gruesome close up showed the wound was too clean… too precise. It had been a blade. Cloud's stomach stared to pitch with a sickening feeling. "No… it can't be." The scene went back to the anchorman who looked a little green around the edges. Some screams could be heard in the background. A couple people ran in front of the camera in a panic. The anchorman stared right into the camera. "He's here! For the people in Midgar get indoors and stay there! The mad man Sephiroth is here! Oh… no!" The man was scrambling to get out of his chair and off the set, but a fireball exploded upon him. A screaming body a flame rolled off the screen. Sephiroth slowly walked into the camera's sight. Cloud's heart plummeted with him as he fell to his knees. He was smiling that same damned smile he had with his blade through her. "Yes, Cloud. I can smell your fear from here. Get ready, I'm coming for you. You and someone close to you. I want to bury you in your despair."

Jazzi walked into the room with the secret entrance to the library. She had made this room into her bedroom. She took the towel and dried her hair some before throwing it to the floor. She opened a wardrobe standing to the left of the bed just beside the curved stone wall. Her mako eyes looked over her "normal" clothes. Jazzi had just grabbed a shirt when she heard a commotion threw the partially opened window. Having lost the virtue of modesty long ago; Jazzi leaned into the window naked to see what was going on. The town's people were in a bit of an uproar it seemed, and most of it was directed towards her younger brother Cloud. "My… news travels fast." She stood up straight in thought. That must mean he's heading this way. Obviously he's announced as much. Jazzi smirked, "Arrogant as always." Sephiroth wasn't at his full strength at the crater, and she doubted he was yet.

She threw down the shirt and walked into the bathroom to pick up her black outfit. The time for pretend would be over soon. Jazzi walked back into the bedroom and got dressed. She had her foot up on the bed with her back to the secret door as she fastened the garters from the boots to her garment. From behind her she heard the door move. Her muscles froze as the stone grinded together as the entryway slide open. Jazzi waited till she was certain whoever had stepped into the room. She brought her leg up and around behind her in a roundhouse kick to the head, but was caught by surprise. Her foot was caught in a firm grip just as her body whipped around to see who this intruder was. "You!"

Vincent stood there with piercing red eyes looking at her. He waited a moment then released her boot. "Yes… and you are not what you seem to be."

Jazzi looked him over in silence with an annoyed look. "And you are exactly what you seem to be. Why were you down there?"

"I imagine for the same reason you go down there… to learn. I entered shortly after your departure a couple nights ago. The library smells of you. Have you read every book down there? I am sure you have. The real question is whether or not you started reading them before or after your transformation."

Jazzi had the urge to shuffle her feet or look away. He'd seen too much of the real her for her tastes. She managed to stand still and keep eye contact with him. "I have a feeling you know the answer. How long have you been sneaking in here?"

"Long enough. You didn't come home with a new plant this time. Where did you go?" Vincent moved closer to Jazzi as the door behind him started to close.

"I don't think I like you very much." Jazzi picked up her weapon of choice from the chest at the end of the bed. She placed what looked like nothing more than a silver hilt into the sheath on her hip.

"You should. You're going to be a part of the fun now."

"What fun?" Jazzi turned to keep Vincent in her sight as he walked out of the room. With an annoyed grunt she followed him.

"Let's go find out." They exited the ShinRa Mansion just as the crowd was starting to scatter back to their homes. Clatter and panic could be heard within almost every home as they tried to pack to get out.

Tifa saw the two coming through the iron gates of the mansion first, patting Cloud's shoulder as she did. "Vincent? What are you doing here?"

Cloud turned and gave his ally a warm smile in welcome. "Why am I not surprised to find you here when trouble is on its way?"

Jazzi's presence was either not noticed or ignored. This suited her just fine as she stood silently with her arms crossed. Tifa and her made silent eye contact for a moment before Tifa looked back to Cloud.

Vincent gave Cloud the barest of nods as he stopped a few feet before him. "What trouble has found you this time?"

Cloud seemed a bit surprised that Vincent was here, but didn't know about Sephiroth's return. He must have come back for another purpose, and it was merely coincidence that he was here when gravely needed. "Sephiroth is alive."

Vincent looked genuinely startled by this, giving Jazzi the barest of glances who kept the same blank appearance like nothing of note had been said.

"He's headed this way. I imagine he'll be here before the night comes. We're going to call the others, but I suspect only Cid and Red can make it in time."

"I will make the calls to the others." Tifa gave a faint smile before walking towards her home. Everyone's gaze followed her for a moment before Vincent broke the silence.

"Then it is a good thing your sister is here." Both Cloud and Jazzi jumped a bit. She looked to Vincent with wide eyes as Cloud looked at her with disgust.

"My sister? Is your plan to have her fuck Sephiroth into submission?"

Jazzi just smirked at the insult. "I could, but Vincent would have me fight beside you."

Cloud's look of disgust magnified at his sister's retort. "You? I have never seen you fight off so much as a bug."

"That's because you haven't been here! You ran away, remember?" Jazzi took a step closer to him as she tried to suppress her anger.

"Because you let that monster kill mother!"

"Mother died because you didn't come to help! Instead you ran off after Tifa!" Jazzi's eyes started to spark mildly as she took another step towards her brother. Cloud looked into his sibling's eyes and leaned away from her a bit. Jazzi smirked. "I turned my grief into anger, and with that anger I grew stronger. I didn't wallow in it like you have."

Vincent put an arm between them then gently pushed Jazzi back a couple steps. "We can tear each other apart later. Like it or not… we will need everyone to stand a chance."

Cloud and Jazzi stayed silent, but that was as friendly as they managed. After a moment Jazzi wandered to the iron fence encircling the mansion as she gazed up at the mountain side. She slowly turned looking above the town as she wondered from which direction he'd fly in. Perhaps he'd walk right into town on the road. He was arrogant enough to do so. Something told her he wouldn't fly in and take a cheap shot. No he wanted whoever he attacked to know it was coming. Otherwise what challenge or fun would it be? At any rate they had time to kill. She watched the others go inside after Tifa. Shortly after families started to leave town. It was a depressing sight that unfolded before her as she stared in silence. Once the families were gone, Jazzi walked over to the water tower and jump up to sit down upon it. A few moments later the sky grew dark with clouds. Jazzi's eyes sparked here and there as a great strike of lightning tore across the sky. Thunder seemed to shake the earth as the rain began to fall. Jazzi sat out in the rain with a small smile as the storm carried on.

After nearly an hour Vincent sat down beside her. Jazzi glanced at him briefly, but said nothing as she listened to the thunder growl. "Are you doing this?" The redhead simply smiled in response. Vincent looked at the skies then to her. "Can you control it?"

She looked to him with a devilish grin before looking to the sky above the mountains. Jazzi made a gun with her hand and pointed the "barrel" at a mountain. As she mimed pulling the trigger a lightning bolt tore through the sky and hit the top of that mountain. Jazzi sat there looking very pleased as eardrum splitting thunder quickly followed.

Vincent looked to her with a very serious look. "Having that kind of power does something to a person. Look at Sephiroth or myself." Jazzi did turn to look seriously into the face of Vincent Valentine as he continued on. "It will not end well for anyone if you choose poorly on how to use this power. You can still make the right decision."

Jazzi had the feeling Vincent knew what she had done. "Why are you even giving me the choice at this point?"

"I have my reasons. I wouldn't question them if I were you."

"Fair enough." Jazzi looked to the skies and became quiet like she was listening to something no one else could hear. Then Vincent heard it too. The airship was suddenly there on the edge of town where it slowly started to sink down to the flat fields. "Looks like your backup showed up in the nick of time."

Cloud, Tifa, Vincent, and Jazzi walked out to meet the arriving allies at the entrance to Nibelheim. Cid, Red, and Yuffie all had managed to come. Only Barrett was unable to make the distance, but had said he'd be there the next day.

No one else seemed to appreciate Jazzi's thunderstorm so they decided to discuss their battle plans, and what was known inside the ShinRa mansion since its main room was large enough to have seven people comfortably in it. Jazzi sat halfway up the stairwell, looking bored as the others talked below. She stayed silent as she listened to one attack plan after the other. It seemed they were agreeing to ambush him there in the mansion. Jazzi couldn't take anymore. "A very ingenious plan indeed."

Cloud glared at his sister as everyone but Vincent looked at her like she was a bug. Cid was the one to speak up with a cigarette dangling in his mouth as he spoke. "And who the hell are you?"

Jazzi stood up and started walking down to them. "Jazzi Strife. I am the older sister to Cloud here." She vaguely waved in his direction. "For one, I don't really like the idea of my house being torn up after spending months fixing it. Two, you can't catch Sephiroth off guard. He will know you're here even if the giant airship outside of town wasn't a big clue. He expects to find you all here. In fact it's what he wants. It's why he warned you."

Everyone was looking around at one another. Yuffie looked slightly embarrassed as she nodded. "She has a point. We've never snuck up or been able to catch him off guard before."

Jazzi looked to the doors not two seconds before both blew open. A giant bolt of lightning tore through the sky as Sephiroth came into view. She tried not to smile at her own sense of dramatic flair. Jazzi stood in the middle of the group as they all got into a line in battle stance. Jazzi simply stood there as Sephiroth walked in from the rain.

"I came for one of you, and you bring me seven. I do appreciate the audience. Why just have you in despair at your hopeless situation when all of you can enjoy."

Cloud put an arm in front of Tifa as he started nudging her behind him. "You will not touch her, Sephiroth!"

Jazzi glanced for only a moment at her brother guarding Tifa with a look of disgust, but turned quickly back to Sephiroth as he filled the foyer with malevolent laughter. "Her? You think I came for her? That girl is neither a threat or of any use to me."

Cloud looked at his nemesis with confusion for a moment that seemed to delight Sephiroth all the more. His face went blank as he turned to look at his sister. Jazzi was looking at Sephiroth only now.

Sephiroth laughed once more. "There's the realization. Poor Cloud… always one step behind." He watched Cloud's eyes glare upon Jazzi. His own eyes followed his gaze to rest on the redhead. She was staring right back at him. "I am beginning to understand why you came to me, my dear."

Cloud's grip on the buster sword tightened till his knuckles were white. "How is Jazzi of any use to you?" He knew Sephiroth too well for this to be about companionship of any kind.

Again Sephiroth laughed at Cloud's ignorance. "Oh, Jazzi has kept much from everyone it seems." His eyes looked over the crowd who all looked a bit lost… except Vincent. "Ah but he knows." Vincent glared in annoyance, but stayed silent. Sephiroth's attentions turned back to Cloud. "Can you not feel the power that radiates from her? Her fury thunders outside and yet you stand oblivious."

Cloud looked to his sister in shock at the idea that she was not only powerful, but powerful enough to make it storm at her will. Sephiroth smiled to Jazzi and held out his hand to her. "Come with me my pet. Together no one will be able to stop us." Her eyes lowered to his outstretched hand. "Why hesitate now? This is why you found me… is it not?" Jazzi looked back up into his eyes as she placed her hand within his.

A shot echoed throughout the room as Jazzi and Sephiroth both cried out in pain. Both their hands were bleeding from Vincent's aim. Sephiroth leapt across the room with his Masamune ready. Vincent blocked the first attack with his gun, and Cloud was there on the attack. Sephiroth was forced to turn and face him as their swords met with tremendous force. Tifa charged Jazzi from behind, but the redhead turned to block her punch at the last moment. Jazzi smirked with her hand holding Tifa's fist in her grasp. She spun her arm to a painful degree then with her free arm; she uppercut Tifa's elbow. Tifa screamed out as her arm snapped with the sound of shattered bone.

Cloud glanced over at Tifa for but a moment, and just as Sephiroth was about to use that moment; Red leapt onto his back, biting into his collarbone. Jazzi kicked Tifa in the chest that sent her flying back into the wall to the left of the stairs. Cid ran to aid Tifa if he could. Jazzi looked to Sephiroth as he roared in pain and anger. He wasn't fully recovered yet… and he had still come here. Jazzi jumped high into the air to land on the stairwell right beside Sephiroth fighting, but in midair she was knocked back. Sephiroth threw Red from his back into and threw the stair railing to land four feet below on the floor. Jazzi cried out as she landed to see a gash in her side six inches deep that went front to back. Her eyes looked up to find Yuffie holding her weapon dripping in blood. Something in Jazzi's brain snapped, and she was no longer there. Jazzi started to laugh at the pure joy of the violence around her. The voice echoed and magnified till everyone stopped to look upon Jazzi's laughing bleeding form as it slowly stood up. Her irises filled with sparks until they appeared a glowing solid white. The gap in her side had sparks jumping throughout, cauterizing the wound. The spaces between hair strands and her fingers had lightning jumping to and fro.

"You're all going to die." Jazzi's voice echoed and filled the room. She let out a scream and arched her back with her face towards the heavens. A lightning bolt tore through the mansion, striking Jazzi. She balled her hands into fists as she hugged her arms to her. Suddenly the room was filled with a blinding white light. You could see nothing else but light, and an eerie silence filled everyone in the room till each and everyone one thought for a brief moment that they might actually have died. Then the silence was slashed apart by the world around them ripping to pieces. Jazzi threw out her arms and hands wide to send out a wave of energy. The mansion was blasted away. Debris and people were tossed and flung out in a radius around Jazzi. The dust hadn't settled as Jazzi put a hand to her head with her eyes shut. Her eyes cracked open to see a scene of destruction around her. "What?" But before she could put the pieces together; Jazzi fell to the ground as she passed out.

A few moments later the sound of shifting rubble filled the suddenly clear skies. Sephiroth tossed the chandelier off of him as he kicked a few pieces of lumber off as well. He got to his feet with the mauled collarbone being the worst of his injuries. He scanned the damage about him with a look of curiosity. He saw Vincent's body and the smoker's body with the blonde hair, but neither was moving. He gave a satisfied nod as he started walking to where Jazzi lay. He gingerly picked her up in his arms and scanned the area again. He had little doubt that Cloud was still alive, but it didn't matter. Sephiroth smiled, knowing they would all despair now. With some training, Jazzi could be a real threat, but Sephiroth knew how to play Jazzi. By the time they were both to their strongest potential… she'd do any and all Sephiroth would ask of her. With a laugh he flew off up into the mountains surrounding Nibelheim.


End file.
